U.S. patent number 4,721,265 [Application Number 06/872,041] was granted by the patent office on 1988-01-26 for electronic toilet tissue dispenser.
Invention is credited to Junior F. Hawkins.
United States Patent |
4,721,265 |
Hawkins |
January 26, 1988 |
Electronic toilet tissue dispenser
Abstract
The Electronic Toilet Tissue Dispenser permits toilet tissue to
be dispensed from a supply roll by placing your hand in front of a
sensor and advancement is stopped when your hand is removed from in
front of the sensor, thereby, permitting those with Arthritis and
those who might have difficulty reaching; seeing or finding the end
of the tissue, to easily dispense said toilet tissue.
Inventors: |
Hawkins; Junior F. (Wichita,
KS) |
Family
ID: |
25358707 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/872,041 |
Filed: |
June 9, 1986 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/564; 242/563;
250/221 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K
10/36 (20130101); A47K 2010/3668 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47K
10/36 (20060101); A47K 10/24 (20060101); B65H
016/00 (); G01V 009/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;242/55.53,55.2 ;250/221
;200/DIG.36 ;307/117 ;361/177,176 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Levy; Stuart S.
Assistant Examiner: Hannon; Thomas R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Carpenter; John Wade
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A toilet tissue dispenser comprising a box having a back and
four upstanding walls connected to the back such that the tops of
the four upstanding walls form an opening; a panel means having
four panel sides integrally bound to each other and secured to the
tops of the four upstanding walls and flanging outwardly therefrom;
a generally L-shaped compartment means mounted on two panel sides,
said compartment means comprising a control compartment means
secured to one panel side and a guard compartment means mounted to
a panel side contiguous to the panel side that supports the control
compartment; a drive motor means mounted in said control
compartment means; a control circuit means mounted in said control
compartment means for controlling the operation of said drive motor
means; a night sensor means mounted in said control compartment
means and communicating with ambient light such that when ambient
light does not strike the night sensor means said control circuit
means can not energize the drive motor means; a day sensor means
mounted in said control compartment means and communicating with
said ambient lighting such that if ambient lighting is striking the
night sensor means, then interrupting the ambient lighting to the
day sensor means causes the control circuit means to energize the
drive motor means; a stop member mounted to the panel side that is
opposed to the panel side that supports the guard compartment; a
bracket assembly superimposed over the stop member and slidably
mounted transverse to the panel side that is opposed to the panel
side that supports the guard compartment; and a means secured to
said stop member and to bracket assembly for biasing said bracket
assembly away from said stop member.
2. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said panel means
has an internal perimeter where the tops of the four upstanding
walls connect thereto.
3. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 2 wherein said four panel
sides flange outwardly from the four upstanding walls generally
normal thereto.
4. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 3 wherein said control
compartment means and said guard compartment means comprise a
common L-shaped compartment top.
5. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 4 additionally comprising a
handle secured to said bracket assembly.
6. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 5 additionally comprising a
bearing bound to said bracket assembly.
7. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 6 additionally comprising a
motor pulley coupled to said drive motor means, said motor pulley
disposed in said control compartment.
8. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 7 additionally comprising a
drive pulley rotatably disposed in said guard compartment means,
and an endless belt trained over said motor pulley and said drive
pulley.
9. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 8 additionally comprising a
drive bearing means bound to said drive pulley to receive
rotational power therefrom.
10. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 9 additionally comprising
a power source means mounted in said control compartment.
11. The toilet tissue dispenser of claim 10 wherein said L-shaped
compartment top is pivotally mounted to said control
compartment.
12. A method for dispensing toilet tissue comprising the steps
of:
(a) providing a panel means circumscribing a box;
(b) mounting rotatably a roll of toilet tissue to the panel means
such that said roll of toilet tissue rotates in said box
spacedly;
(c) providing a night sensor means in a control compartment means
supported by said panel means wherein said night sensor means
communicates with ambient light such that when ambient light does
not strike the night sensor means a control circuit means mounted
in said control compartment means can not energize a drive motor
means to rotate the roll of toilet tissue in order to dispense
toilet tissue therefrom;
(d) providing a day sensor means in said control compartment
wherein said day sensor means communicates with ambient lighting
such that if ambient lighting is striking the night sensor means,
then interrupting the ambient lighting to the day sensor means
causes the control circuit means to energize the drive motor means
to rotate the roll of toilet tissue in order to dispense toilet
tissue therefrom;
(e) striking the night sensor means with ambient lighting;
(f) covering contactless the day sensor means to interrupt ambient
lighting to the day sensor means causing the control circuit means
to energize the drive motor means and commence the rotating of the
roll of toilet tissue;
(g) maintaining said covering step (f) until the desired amount of
toilet tissue has rotated off of the roll of toilet tissue; and
(h) removing said covering step (f) such that the day sensor again
communicates with the ambient lighting to cause the control circuit
means to deengage the drive motor means and stop the rotating of
the roll of toilet tissue.
13. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising removing said
desired amount of toilet tissue from the roll of toilet tissue.
14. The method of claim 13 additionally comprising providing a stop
member bound to the panel means.
15. The method of claim 14 additionally comprising superimposing a
bracket assembly over the stop member, and mounting slidably the
bracket assembly to the panel means such that the bracket assembly
slides transversely with respect to a portion of the panel
means.
16. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising providing a
spring means between said stop member and said bracket
assembly.
17. The method of claim 16 additionally comprising sliding the
bracket assembly transversely with respect to the portion of the
panel means to bias the bracket assembly against the stop
member.
18. The method of claim 17 additionally comprising removing the
roll of toilet tissue after said sliding step and replacing the
roll of toilet tissue with another roll of toilet tissue.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic means of dispensing toilet
tissue paper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior to my invention, there was no electronic means of dispensing
toilet tissue paper. Tissue could only be dispensed by manually
searching for the end of the tissue and then unwinding the amount
needed by hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Electronic Toilet Tissue Dispenser dispenses toilet tissue from
a supply roll when your hand or other object is placed in front of
a sensor located on or near the front of the device and the
dispensing of toilet tissue is stopped when your hand or other
object is removed from in front of said sensor. Dispensing of
tissue is also stopped when normal room lighting is not present.
Therefore, this device permits toilet tissue to be easily dispensed
by those who might otherwise consider this to be a difficult to
impossible task such as those individuals with Arthritis and those
who might have difficulty reaching, seeing or finding the end of
the tissue.
Further objects of my invention will become apparent from
consideration of the drawings and the ensuing description
thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Electronic Toilet Tissue
Dispenser.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the device.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembly securing the supply
tissue roll in place.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 the Cabinet 33 comprises a Box 1; a
Control Compartment 3 and a Guard Compartment 9. Said Box 1
consists of a box shape with sides, ends and a back in which said
Box 1 will accomodate a roll of Tissue Paper 24 and said Box 1 may
be inserted into a wall opening much the same as current
commercially available tissue holders. Screws through the bottom of
said Box 1 and on into a wall stud or other wall member will secure
the entire unit in its proper location.
To said Box 1 is added Horizontal Panel 2 covering all four sides
of said Box 1 which stops said Box 1 at a predetermined depth when
said Box 1 is inserted into a wall opening since said Horizontal
Panel 2 is wider than said wall opening. Using the top of said
Horizontal Panel 2 as a Back, a Control Compartment 3 is formed by
adding a Left End Panel 4; a Top Panel 6; and a Bottom Panel 7 and
a Front Panel 8. An opening is made in said Bottom Panel 7 to
accomodate the Drive Belt 18 and related components.
A Guard Compartment 9 is also formed which serves as a guard for
said Drive Belt 18 and related components. This said Guard
Compartment 9 is formed by using said Horizontal Panel 2 nearest
the drive assembly side as the Back and adding an End Panel 10 and
a Right Side Panel 12 and a Left Side Panel 11. The said Left Side
Panel 11 next to said Tissue Roll 24 contains an opening for the
Drive Bearing 19. Said Left Side Panel 11 and said Right Side Panel
12 are attached to said Bottom Panel 7 of said Control Compartment
3 or otherwise made an integral part of said Control Compartment 3.
The top of said Guard Compartment 9 is part of said Front Panel 8
which covers both said Control Compartment 3 and said Guard
Compartment 9. The said Front Panel 8 attaches to said Top Panel 6
by Hinges 21 and Hinges 22 and is secured in place during normal
operation by the Friction, magnetic or other suitable catch 23.
Said Cabinet 33 may be constructed from glass, plastic, metal,
paper or other material and still perform its intended purpose.
Referring to FIG. 1 the Motor 15 is attached to the Motor Mounting
Bracket 16 by screws or other suitable means which will insure that
said Motor 15 is firmly secure in its proper location. Said Motor
Mounting Bracket 16 is attached to panels forming said Control
Compartment 3 or is otherwise made an integral part of said Control
Compartment 3. An opening is made in said Motor Mounting Bracket 16
to accomodate the motor drive shaft which permits the Motor Pulley
17 to be installed on said motor drive shaft by conventional
means.
A Drive Pulley 20 is bolted, glued or otherwise attached or made an
integral part of said Drive Bearing 19. Said Drive Belt 18 is used
to turn said Motor Pulley 17 and said Drive Pulley 20 when said
Motor 15 is energized. Said Drive Bearing 20 is a cone shaped
device which is slightly smaller in diameter than the inside
diameter of the core holding said Toilet Tissue 24. Said Drive
Bearing 19 is covered with a sandpaper type of material;
constructed from perforated plastic; perforated steel or similar
type of material which when inserted into the core of said Toilet
Tissue Roll 24, sufficient pressure and friction will be created
that the friction surface of said Drive Bearing 19 will cause said
Toilet Tissue Roll 24 to turn and the tissue wound thereon to be
dispensed whenever said Motor 15 is energized.
Referring to FIG. 3, the Bearing 29 holds one end of said Toilet
Tissue Roll 24 in its proper place during normal operation of said
device. Said Bearing 29 which is inserted into the core of said
Toilet Tissue Roll 24 is slightly smaller in diameter than the core
diameter of the tube holding said Toilet Tissue which permits said
Toilet Tissue Supply Roll 24 to spin freely on said Bearing 29 when
said Motor 15 is energized. Bracket 30 holds the Frame Assembly 31
in its proper location. A Spring 28 is attached to the Stop Member
27 and to said Bearing 29 with said Bearing 29 also attached to
said Frame Assembly 31. The Handle 32 is attached to or or
otherwise made an integral part of said Frame Assembly 31. When
said Handle 32 is pulled, said Frame Assembly 31 will remove said
Bearing 29 from said Toilet Tissue Roll 24 and the distance said
Frame Assembly 31 may be pulled is determined by the location of
said Stop Member 27. While said Frame Assembly 31 is in its maximum
pulled position, a new said Toilet Tissue Roll 24 may be installed
by first placing one end of said Toilet Tissue Roll 24 on said
Drive Bearing 19 and then releasing said Handle 32 which permits
said Spring 28 to force said Bearing 29 forward to a point where it
may be inserted into the core of the tube holding said Toilet
Tissue Roll 24. Once inserted, said Spring 28 will continue to hold
said Toilet Tissue Roll 24 in its proper location. Said Stop Member
27 and Bracket 30 are attached to or otherwise made an integral
part of said Horizontal Panel 2.
The Electronic Toilet Tissue Dispenser is designed to operate only
when normal room lighting is present. When normal room lighting is
not striking the Night Sensor 14, the said Control Circuit 26
cannot energize said Motor 15 and tissue cannot be dispensed. If
normal room lighting is striking said Night Sensor 14, then by
placing your hand or other object in front of the Day Sensor 13,
which is a light sensitive device similar to said Night Sensor 14,
then said action will cause said Control Circuit 26 to energize
said Motor 15 using the Battery Power Supply 25 or other suitable
power means such as A.C. or power provided by a commercially
available A.C. to D.C. converter or if desired, said Control
Circuit could be wired to convert standard 110 Volt household
current to the required direct current from a number of well known
circuits.
Once said Motor 15 is energized, it will cause said Drive Belt 18
and said Motor Pulley 17 and said Drive Pulley 20 to turn and
subsequently the Toilet Tissue paper is advanced from its roll.
Said Tissue Paper will continue to advance until your hand or other
object is removed from in front of said Day Sensor 13 or else
normal room lighting is removed from said Night Sensor 14. Without
the action of said Night Sensor 14, the Toilet Tissue would advance
each time normal room lighting was removed.
While the above description contains many specifities, these should
not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but
rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof.
Many other variations are possible. For example, different sensing
devices such as proximity detectors could be used and different
sizes, shapes and means may be used to advance the Toilet Tissue
and still remain within the spirit of this invention. Accordingly,
the scope of this invention should be determined not by the
embodiment illustrated but by the appended claims and their legal
equivalents.
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